Pros
I want to respond to some of the reviews that mention micromanagement. In my experience, the company is not very hands-on if you are performing well. If you are taking care of clients, meeting expectations, and doing your work, the environment can be extremely flexible. There have been times where I was able to work for days without anyone looking over my shoulder. The benefits are solid, the flexibility is great, and overall I have had a positive experience with the company. For hardworking people who care about customer service, 1-800Accountant can be a good place to work.
Cons
The biggest issue I have seen is the technical quality of the tax preparation and review process. In my experience, the majority of preparers, reviewers, and managers are not credentialed and are not capable of properly handling complex tax returns.
This creates a serious quality-control problem. Many returns appear to include numbers or entries that may be favorable to the client, but are not necessarily technically correct or properly supported. The end result is that clients may receive returns that look beneficial on the surface but contain errors they may not understand or even know about.
I also believe promotions are often based more on popularity or internal relationships than actual tax knowledge. This is a problem in a tax preparation environment where technical skill, accuracy, and professional judgment should matter most.
Some people in senior or management positions appear to rely heavily on others to answer more complex tax questions. Collaboration is normal, but when managers cannot confidently answer technical questions themselves, it creates issues for employees, reviewers, and clients.
